North Carolina LCSW continuing education requirements

A North Carolina LCSW needs 40 hours of continuing education every 2 years to renew. This page is our summary of the continuing education rules for a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in North Carolina, as we read them from the published rules of the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board on September 25, 2026.

Hours: 40
Renewal: Every 2 years
Last checked: September 25, 2026

A reference, not legal or licensing advice. Confirm is not affiliated with the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board and does not speak for it. We summarize the published rules as a convenience and they can change or be read differently, so this page may be incomplete or out of date. Your board has the final say: always confirm your requirements with your board before you renew. Use this page at your own risk. See the Terms.

Total hours

40 hours (after the first renewal)
40 hours (first renewal)First renewal: under 6.5 months licensed → 10 hours; under 12.5 months licensed → 20 hours; otherwise 40 hours.Shorter first cycles are prorated: 20 hours (2 ethics) for a one-year cycle, 10 hours (1 ethics) for six months (21 NCAC 63 .0401).

Hours that must be included

Ethics: 4 hoursFirst renewal: under 6.5 months licensed → 1 hour; under 12.5 months licensed → 2 hours; otherwise 4 hours.

Limits

Online / distance hours (live online or self-study): at most 20 hoursDistance learning capped at half the hours and must be ASWB-ACE or NASW-NC approved.

Approved providers

Recognized: ASWB, NASW, State board.

Source

NC Social Work Certification and Licensure Board — Continuing Education (21 NCAC 63 .0401), read on September 25, 2026.

Board: North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board.

This summary may be incomplete or out of date. The board’s own rules are the only authority; confirm your requirements with the board before you renew.